Kings Canyon
Standing at the rim of Kings Canyon makes you feels like you’re on the edge of the earth. The flat face and sheer drop of the canyon walls are both frightening and inspiring in their size and stark, natural beauty. Kings Canyon is 450 kilometres south west of Alice Springs and hidden deep in the secluded beauty of Watarrka National Park, considered an important conservation area with rock holes and gorges providing refuge for over 600 species of plants and many native animals.
A moderately challenging six-kilometre walk takes in magnificent views of the Kings Canyon rim, which soars over 100 metres above dense forests of palms, ferns and cycads. The walk also guides visitors through the weathered, buttressed domes of ‘The Lost City’ and the ‘Garden of Eden’ - a sheltered valley with permanent waterholes and lush vegetation. The walk is suitable for fit, relatively experienced walkers and can be completed in about three to four hours.
For a slightly different Red Centre adventure, take a scenic helicopter flight or try the shorter and easier Kings Creek Walk leading into the centre of Kings Canyon.
Accommodation ranging from motel-style to campsites is available at the nearby Kings Canyon Resort and Kings Creek Cattle Station. Drivers can reach Kings Canyon from Uluru in around four hours by taking the Lasseter Highway and Luritja Road. Those with a four-wheel-drive and at least a day’s travelling time can then take the unsealed Mereenie Loop on to Alice Springs, driving via the Hermannsburg community for a unique cultural experience.